Prism Teens
Programming for LGBTQ youth and allies ages 14-18
Prism Teens Gatherings
Prism meets weekly at our youth room in Mobile. Gatherings are structured around an activity, usually with an artistic, therapeutic, or educational bent. Occasionally, we bring in LGBTQ special guests from the local community to speak about their experiences growing up, going to school, and pursuing a career.
Discord
We recognize that it’s not always easy for youth to join us for in-person or virtual gatherings. That’s why we’ve created a private Discord server where teens can have safe, confidential, text-based conversations with their peers. Channels (i.e., chatrooms) on our server are monitored by facilitators who interact with and support the teens.
Prism D&D
Currently, we offer three regular virtual gatherings for teens:
- Prism D&D invites teens into an immersive experience led by Prism’s talented Dungeon Masters. Create your own character and be a part of the unfolding story. Meetings are held weekly on Zoom.
Registering for Prism D&D is easy! Just shoot us an email at info@prismunited.org letting us know that you’d like to join.
Special Events
Our special events include open mic, game nights, viewing parties, costume-karaoke, holiday dinners, and more. Depending on the event, the youth room is transformed into a makeshift coffee-shop with couches and bean bag chairs arranged around a stage area (mood lighting and microphone included). Or the room is broken up into game stations, so that teens can bounce between Super Smash Bros tournaments, card games, and interactive group games (like Werewolf and Pictionary). Event nights allow the youth to have high-school & college-flavored experiences in a safe, affirming environment.
Leadership Initiatives
Prism proudly sponsors youth-designed, youth-led educational projects. Prism Leadership Initiatives empowers teens to organize and raise awareness about the issues that matter to them. Initiative proposals require a mission statement, goals, an event schedule, a lead organizer, assistant organizers, and opportunities for peer-to-peer dialogue. Prism provides a screen for presentations. Facilitators are present at gatherings but allow the youth to lead (unless they are asked by organizers to assist).
Prism Youth Library
We at Prism believe that narratives are powerful tools for personal development. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for LGBTQ youth to find novels that include characters and themes they relate to. So, with the help of the community, we’re building a library of LGBTQ young adult literature for our teens. If you’d like to add a book to the library, you can find our wishlist on the “Give” page.
How to Join In-person Gatherings
If you are 14-18 and interested in attending a Prism Teens gathering, or if you are the guardian of someone who might like to attend, contact us at info@prismunited.org for more information.
Q Chat Space
If you’re in need of more support than what Prism is offering, we recommend Q Chat Space. Our friends at Q Chat Space are providing LGBTQ youth with dedicated space to discuss topics they care about on a safe, confidential platform. Follow the link to learn more.
Meal Service
Prism provides a volunteer-led meal service for our teen gatherings. If you enjoy cooking or preparing food and would like to occasionally contribute something for the teens, download a volunteer application from our “Get Involved” page.
PRISM UNITED
Prism United responds to the comprehensive needs of LGBTQ youth. Specifically, Prism works to mitigate the psychological, socio-economic, and academic disadvantages caused by repression and victimization.